Twelve years after his retirement, Mark Carrier will be enshrined in the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame on June 26 in Natchitoches, part of an eight-member class of 2010. He will be presented by his son, Jon Marc.

The 44-year-old native of Church Point holds Nicholls State records with 147 catches, 2,709 yards receiving and 24 touchdowns, and he is No. 4 all-time in punt return average at 8.9 yards.

"Going to Nicholls, I never had thoughts of playing professional football, " Carrier said. "My ultimate goal was to play basketball at LSU."

But Brown would not hear of that. He made three trips to Church Point High School to see Carrier work his magic in the Bears' running-heavy offense.

"On one third-and-long play, he cut loose down the middle and shook a guy. I went home right then. That was all I needed to see; I knew I had a diamond, " Brown said.

NFL teams took notice as well.

Mark received a questionnaire from the Dallas Cowboys after his sophomore season, in which he separated his shoulder and missed the second half of the year.

"Still I didn't think anything of it, " said Carrier, who lives his Tampa, Fla. "Going into my junior year, I opened up people's eyes about who I was, and the letters came a little bit more. After my junior year, I first began thinking there could be a chance. After senior year, it was just a matter of where (I would play)."

Theresa Carrier said the day the Buccaneers drafted Mark with the No. 57 overall pick in the third round of the 1987 draft was "a big surprise."

She found out about the selection when a reporter called to get her reaction.

"I thought they were kidding, " she said. "A few minutes later Mark called me, and all I did was stand there with my mouth open. My supervisor came by and asked what was up ... I didn't know he was that important at that time."

Carrier spent six years with the Buccaneers, made the Pro Bowl in 1989, and set the franchise's single-season record with 1,422 yards receiving. He also is the Bucs' career leader in receiving yards in a game -- 212 yards against the Saints in 1987 -- and career receiving yards with 5,018.

Carrier was raised in a single-mother household with two sisters, Anne and Hope, and his grandmother, Enolia. He called his family his biggest support system throughout his career.

Theresa said Mark always has shown undying devotion to his family, and she only missed a couple of Mark's games throughout his football career.

"I had to be both mom and dad at the same time, " she said. "But he respected me, and it was tremendous. I can talk to him about anything, and he'll listen. I never had to get him out of trouble."

It was also an honor for Carrier's friends from his PeeWee football days in Church Point, Patrick Vellard and David Sharlot, to witness Carrier's ascent to the professional ranks.

Vellard, the godfather to Carrier's 14-year-old son, called it "indescribable" to be friends with an NFL player. Vellard said he was "like a kid in a candy store" when meeting Carrier's teammates, including quarterback Vinny Testaverde.

"Mark could shake somebody's pants off when he'd run, " Vellard said. "Those were the good ol' days ... Before practice, we used to act like certain professional players we admired in the end zone."

Sharlot, the godfather to Carrier's 11-year-old daughter, said Carrier's nickname was "Lightning."

"He was always the technician in the group ... He had this deceptive move, and if you went for it, there was no catching him, " Sharlot said. "The first year after he was drafted, we were able to play as him in the video games. He put Church Point on the map."

Amid Carrier's personal success with Tampa Bay, the Buccaneers were reeling as a team. Carrier endured three coaches in six years and a combined 28-67 record.

Carrier's tenure in the NFL took a different turn in 1993, when he signed as a free agent with the Cleveland Browns, where he stayed for two seasons and won his first playoff game in the 1994 AFC wild-card round.

Then came 1995, and the NFL had a new team -- the Carolina Panthers. Carrier was selected in the expansion draft and reunited with Panthers receivers coach Richard Williamson, who coached him at Tampa Bay.

"He didn't have great speed, but he knew how to run routes, drop his hips and be successful, " Williamson said.

In Carolina's 7-9 opening campaign, Carrier finished with 66 catches for 1,002 yards and three touchdowns. The 1996 season was even better, as the Panthers won the NFC West and advanced to the NFC championship game.

Williamson said he knew Carrier would be an asset to the expansion team by acclimating younger players to the pressures of the NFL.

"I knew he would take my young guys under his wing and show them techniques to make them better, " Williamson said. "There aren't many Mark Carriers out there."

According to Brown, the most special part about Carrier was not his play on the field. It was the kind personality he maintained even in the limelight of his NFL career.

"To come from where he came from -- raised without a father, a very small high school and a small university, that tells you it can be done, " Brown said. "They don't care where you came from in professional sports if you can deliver."

And as far as that home away from the projects Brown alluded to on Mark's signing day?

"He built me a beautiful home and gave me my first car, " Theresa said. "Anything I wanted, he was there. He always gave me respect."

All-time Buccaneers record holder in receiving yards (1,422) in a season

Holds Buccaneers' record for most catches in a season (86)

Has Buccaneers record for most receiving yards in a game with 212 against the Saints on Dec. 6, 1987

Made Pro Bowl in 1989

Played in four career playoff games, advancing as far as the 1996 NFC Championship Game with Carolina

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING

"Mark was a student of the game, he listened to instruction, was a joy to coach. He's one of the best players I've coached in my whole life." -- Ron Brown,

Carrier's position coach at Nicholls State

"Mark paid the price to do the things he wanted to do as a player. There is no better individual than Mark Carrier. - Richard Williamson, Carrier's position coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers

"Mark was always one who hated to lose at anything he ever did. You knew when he lost because his head was down and there were tears." - David Sharlot, a childhood friend

"I wouldn't change my son for anything in the world." --Theresa Carrier, his mother

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